Manual dispensers have been used for the convenient separation and removal of a tape, label, or other product from a release liner placed over the adhesive surface of the tape, label, or other product. For instance, manual label dispensers may be used to separate the desired label from a liner material. The labels are typically dispensed by pulling the liner that is threaded around a peel plate. The peel plate separates the label from the liner. The label is suspended in air, and is removed by the user. These machines may be automated such that: the feed automatically stops when the label is dispensed. An example of a manual label dispenser is U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,571, issued to Slagter.
Another method used to separate a liner material from a tape uses a mechanism known as a plow. The plow mechanism is a type of sharp blade. The tape is advanced to the plow mechanism on the applicator or dispenser and the plow mechanism peels the liner from the tape. The user pulls the tape rather than the liner to separate the liner and the tape. If the liner is pulled, the tape remains stuck to the liner.
One example of a situation where a user needs to dispense adhesive tape to apply to an object has arisen in the United States where the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a conspicuity rule requiring trailers that exceed certain width and weight restrictions that were built on or after Dec. 1, 1993, to be equipped with retroreflective sheeting or reflex reflectors. The basic requirement of the conspicuity rule as applied to truck trailers requires that reflective sheeting be applied in a pattern of alternating white and red color segments to the side and rear of the trailer, and in white only to the upper rear corners of the trailer.
The rear reflective markings include a horizontal stripe in alternating colors across the full width of the trailer as close to the edges and as close to 1.25 meters (approximately 4 feet 1 inch) from the road surface as practicable. In addition, two pairs of white sheeting strips applied horizontally and vertically to the right and left upper contours of the trailer body as close to the top and as far apart as possible are required. A strip of sheeting in alternating colors across the full width of the rear underride protection device is also required.
The side reflective sheeting includes a horizontal strip in alternating colors originating and terminating as close to the front and rear ends and as close to 1.25 meters above the road surface as practicable. In addition, reflex reflectors will be installed in the same locations and in the same length as the retroreflective sheeting using a pattern of two or three white reflectors alternating with two or three red reflectors.
Applying lengths of tape to truck trailers as described above can be difficult and time consuming when appropriate tape dispensing tools are not provided. In addition to tape application to truck trailers, there are various other situations in the tape application industry where it would be advantageous for users of linered tape products to have portable, manually operated tape dispensers which facilitate easy tape dispensing.